Verbum Domini - 9

In our weekly feature ‘Focus on the Church’ we bring to you the documents of the Catholic Church. In the past few weeks we have been focussing on the post-synodal Apostolic Exhortation Verbum Domini, meaning, the Word of the Lord. This document of Pope Benedict XVI, is a reflection on the Twelfth Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops held in 2008, and is devoted to “The Word of God in the Life and the Mission of the Church.” The purpose of this exhortation is to communicate the results of the Synod; rediscover the Word of God – a source of constant ecclesial renewal; to promote the Bible among pastors; to help the faithful become witnesses of the Word of God; to support the new evangelization and ecumenical dialogue; and to foster ever greater love for the Word of God.
Last week we saw the Pope explaining Christology of the Word showing us how Christ is the incarnate, crucified and risen Word of God who is the Lord of all things. Today we shall focus on the eschatological dimension of the Word of God and the how the word of God is related to the Holy Spirit.
When we refer to eschatology we speak about the body of religious doctrines concerning the end times and the benevolence of God with his people. In the following section of the Apostolic Exhortation, Pope Benedict XVI is dealing with the eschatological dimension of the word of God. The Pontiff says that in all of this, the Church gives voice to her awareness that with Jesus Christ she stands before the definitive word of God: he is "the first and the last". He has given creation and history their definitive meaning; and hence we are called to live in time and in God's creation within this eschatological rhythm of the word; "thus the Christian dispensation, since it is the new and definitive covenant, will never pass away; and no new public revelation is to be expected before the glorious manifestation of our Lord Jesus Christ. Indeed, as the Fathers noted during the Synod, the "uniqueness of Christianity is manifested in the event which is Jesus Christ, the culmination of revelation, the fulfilment of God's promises and the mediator of the encounter between man and God. He who ‘has made God known' is the one, definitive word given to mankind". Saint John of the Cross in his book Ascent of Mount Carmel expresses this truth magnificently.
Saint John of the Cross is the mystical doctor. His writings on the soul united with God in prayer reveal the most profound mystical expressions, experiences and insights ever imagined. His appeal and gifts are for the universal church and for all creatures who seek union with God in prayer and action. He says: "Since he has given us his Son, his only word (for he possesses no other), he spoke everything at once in this sole word - and he has no more to say... because what he spoke before to the prophets in parts, he has spoken all at once by giving us this All who is his Son. Any person questioning God or desiring some vision or revelation would be guilty not only of foolish behaviour but also of offending him, by not fixing his eyes entirely on Christ and by living with the desire for some other novelty".
The Apostolic Letter further points to the fact that the Synod expressed the need to "help the faithful to distinguish the word of God from private revelations" whose role "is not to ‘complete' Christ's definitive revelation, but to help live more fully by it in a certain period of history". The value of private revelations is essentially different from that of the one public revelation: the latter demands faith; in it God himself speaks to us through human words and the mediation of the living community of the Church. The criterion for judging the truth of a private revelation is its orientation to Christ himself. If it leads us away from him, then it certainly does not come from the Holy Spirit, who guides us more deeply into the Gospel, and not away from it. Private revelation is an aid to this faith, and it demonstrates its credibility precisely because it refers back to the one public revelation.
Ecclesiastical approval of a private revelation essentially means that its message contains nothing contrary to faith and morals; it is licit to make it public and the faithful are authorized to give to it their prudent adhesion. A private revelation can introduce new emphases, give rise to new forms of piety, or deepen older ones. It can have a certain prophetic character, as St Paul tells the Thessalonians and can be a valuable aid for better understanding and living the Gospel at a certain time; consequently it should not be treated lightly. It is a help which is proffered, but its use is not obligatory. In any event, it must be a matter of nourishing faith, hope and love, which are for everyone the permanent path of salvation. Hence the advice of Paul to the Thessalonians is to pray constantly, rejoice always and give thanks in all circumstances. He tells them not to quench the Spirit and not to despise Prophesying, but hold fast to what is good.
The Pontiff in his Apostolic Letter presents the link between the word of God and the Holy Spirit. He says that after reflecting on God's final and definitive word to the world; we need now to mention the mission of the Holy Spirit in relation to the divine word. In fact there can be no authentic understanding of Christian revelation apart from the activity of the Paraclete. The word paraclete means the Holy Spirit who is the comforter and the teacher to the disciples. According to St. John the mission of the Paraclete is to abide with the disciples after Jesus has withdrawn His visible presence from them; to inwardly bring home to them the teaching externally given by Christ and thus to stand as a witness to the doctrine and work of the Saviour. This is due to the fact that God's self-communication always involves the relationship of the Son and the Holy Spirit, whom Irenaeus of Lyons refers to as "the two hands of the Father".
Sacred Scripture itself speaks of the presence of the Holy Spirit in salvation history and particularly in the life of Jesus. Luke in the Annunciation narrative tells us that Jesus was conceived of the Virgin Mary by the power of the Holy Spirit. Matthew narrates that at the beginning of his public mission, on the banks of the Jordan, he sees the Holy Spirit descend on him in the form of a dove. In this same Spirit Jesus acts, speaks and rejoices says the Gospel of Luke. The Letter to the Hebrews tells us that in the Spirit Jesus offers himself up to the Father. As his mission draws to an end, according to the account of Saint John, Jesus himself clearly relates the giving of his life to the sending of the Spirit upon those who belong to him. The Risen Jesus, bearing in his flesh the signs of the passion, then pours out the Spirit, making his disciples sharers in his own mission. The Holy Spirit was to teach the disciples all things and bring to their remembrance all that Christ had said, since he, the Spirit of Truth will guide the disciples into all the truth. Finally, in the Acts of the Apostles, we read that the Spirit descended on the Twelve gathered in prayer with Mary on the day of Pentecost, and impelled them to take up the mission of proclaiming to all peoples the Good News.
The word of God is thus expressed in human words thanks to the working of the Holy Spirit. The missions of the Son and the Holy Spirit are inseparable and constitute a single economy of salvation. The same Spirit who acts in the incarnation of the Word in the womb of the Virgin Mary is the Spirit who guides Jesus throughout his mission and is promised to the disciples. The same Spirit who spoke through the prophets sustains and inspires the Church in her task of proclaiming the word of God and in the preaching of the Apostles; finally, it is this Spirit who inspires the authors of sacred Scripture.
In this weekly feature ‘Focus on the Church’ we brought to you the Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation of Pope Benedict XVI, Verbum Domini, the Word of the Lord. May the word of the Lord inspire us to be His witnesses in this world.
This programme came to you in Vatican Radio’s English broadcast to South Asia. Human Rights Programme will follow.